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Thursday, 11 April 2013

PUNCH Taverns says it wants the New Inn at Rockland St Mary to re-open again as soon as possible. The company denied suggestions that managers would give up on it as a pub and try to sell it as a house, adding that they were talking to a number of would-be leaseholders. But they said they would welcome enquiries from other people too. If they’re still touting for offers, it has to be early days.

Punch, to be fair, always return my calls and give me a statement, but you do also have to read between the lines. My interpretation of this latest missive is that we are at least a month, if not two, away from a functioning pub. Wherryman’s Way walkers heading east need to plough on to the Beauchamp Arms for beer or Langley Abbey for tea and coffee. If you’re heading the other way then it’s the excellent Coldham Hall at Surlingham. Meanwhile the recent sad history of the New Inn goes as follows:

The Book

The Blog

The blog started as a way of publicising Steve's book on the Wherryman's Way which was published by Halsgrove in 2010. Then it became a way of updating Wherryman's Way walkers. More recently it has spread its wings to the wider Broads. Around 1000 people take a look every month. Steve is now writing a second book provisionally called Riverside Norwich. You can follow his progress on that project here.

The Walk

The Wherryman's Way runs for 35 miles between Norwich and Great Yarmouth, following the route the wherries used to take along the rivers Wensum and Yare. Six years ago I was sitting in the White Horse, Chedgrave wondering why no-one had written a book about it. A few pints later my mates had convinced me I was the man. It was published in May 2010.

Footpath Closures:

Work repairing flood defences means sections of the walk can be closed for months at a time. Get the latest info here.